Microfluidic Technology for Measuring Mechanical Properties of Single Cells and Its Application.

Cellular mechanical properties are critical for tissue and organ homeostasis, which are associated with many diseases and are very promising non-labeled biomarkers. Over the past two decades, many research tools based on microfluidic methods have been developed to measure the biophysical properties of single cells; however, it has still not been possible to develop a technique that allows for high-throughput, easy-to-operate and precise measurements of single-cell biophysical properties. In this paper, we review the emerging technologies implemented based on microfluidic approaches for characterizing the mechanical properties of single cells and discuss the methodological principles, advantages, limitations, and applications of various technologies.

The role of corneal epithelial thickness map in detecting early keratoconus.

Purpose: To detect subtle changes in early keratoconus by evaluating corneal epithelial thickness differences among patients with binocular very asymmetric ectasia (VAE) and normal subjects.

Methods: Corneal epithelial thickness was measured using the Fourier-domain AS-OCT system RTVue 100 (Optovue, Fremont, CA, USA). 152 eyes from 76 patients were divided into three groups: Very asymmetry ectasia-ectasia (VAE-E, n = 38), Very asymmetry ectasia-normal topography (VAE-NT, n = 38), and Normal control (NC, n = 76).

Visual Quality Following Femtosecond Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis With Q-Value-Guided Optimized Monovision in Patients With Myopia and Presbyopia.

Purpose: To evaluate the objective and subjective visual quality 3 months after femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) performed with Q-value-guided optimized monovision scheme (Custom-Q) for correction of myopia with or without astigmatism and compensate for age-related accommodation deficiency.

Design: Prospective before-and-after study.

Methods: Patients who had Custom-Q FS-LASIK for myopia with age-related accommodation deficiency were included in this prospective study.

Comparison of visual quality after Q value-guided FS-LASIK and SMILE for correction of myopia with age-related accommodation deficiency.

Purpose: To investigate differences in objective and subjective visual quality 12 months following Q value-guided (Custom-Q) femtosecond laser-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) versus small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for correction of low-to-moderate myopia and compensate for age-related accommodation deficiency.

Methods: Clinical data of 45 patients were analyzed, of whom 23 were treated with FS-LASIK and 22 with SMILE. At the 12-month follow-up, the distance, intermediate, and near visual acuities; objective and subjective refractions; Q factor; corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs); defocus curve; contrast sensitivity; stereopsis and a subjective visual quality questionnaire were evaluated.

Topography-guided photorefractive keratectomy combined with accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking versus cross-linking alone for progressive keratoconus: a long-term prospective cohort study.

Purpose: To comprehensively compare the long-term outcome of the combined topography guided photorefractive keratectomy (TG-PRK) with accelerated corneal cross-linking (ACXL) and ACXL alone in eyes with progressive keratoconus. The analysis focused on the changes in the detailed corneal aberrometric values.

Methods: This single-center, prospective cohort study included 28 patients (30 eyes) of the TG-PRK plus ACXL group and 14 patients (15 eyes) of the ACXL alone group.

The application of corneal biomechanical interocular asymmetry for the diagnosis of keratoconus and subclinical keratoconus.

To evaluate the interocular consistency of biomechanical properties in normal, keratoconus (KC) and subclinical keratoconus (SKC) populations and explore the application of interocular asymmetry values in KC and SKC diagnoses. This was a retrospective chart-review study of 331 ametropic subjects (control group) and 207 KC patients (KC group, including 94 SKC patients). Interocular consistency was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Enhanced morphological assessment based on interocular asymmetry analysis for keratoconus detection.

Purpose: To clarify the interocular asymmetry of corneal morphological descriptors and evaluate its discriminant ability of keratoconus (KC).

Methods: This retrospective study recruited 344 normal participants and 290 KC patients, randomized to training and validation datasets. Interocular correlation and agreement were evaluated on 44 corneal morphological descriptors derived from Schiempflug tomography.

Subjective patient-reported visual quality after small-incision lenticule extraction and its correlation to the objective one.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to characterize the subjective visual quality and satisfaction following small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and to identify its influential factors.

Setting: Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.

Design: This was a retrospective observational study.

Refractive surprise of irregular astigmatism following cataract surgery in two patients with neglected subclinical corneal ectasia: two case reports.

Background: Corneal ectatic diseases are a group of corneal disorder characterized by the steepening and thinning of the cornea. Older people are not a high-risk population for corneal ectatic diseases; due to the lack of typical preoperative topographic manifestations, there is a high possibility that corneal ectasia is undetected.

Case Presentation: Two patients with subclinical corneal ectasia and senile cataracts presented with irregular astigmatism after steep-axis incision during cataract surgery.